Rare Ming Dynasty 'holy grail' cup sold for record USD 36m

A rare Ming Dynasty cup, which has been touted as China's "holy grail" has been sold for a whopping 36m dollars at an auction.

The dainty 15th century white cup measures just 8cm in diameter and is known as a "chicken cup" because it's decorated with a rooster and hen tending to their chicks, News 24 reported.

Auction house Sotheby's describes the cup as having flawless translucent sides with its lively scene painted continuously around its sides, which was made during the reign of the Ming Dynasty's Chenghua Emperor.

Nicholas Chow, Sotheby's deputy chairperson for Asia, said that there's no more legendary object in the history of Chinese porcelain and the cup is really the "holy grail" when it comes to Chinese art.